CRM Success Tips Blog

We may seem like those crazy neighbors at the end of the block who are already putting up the colored lights and inflatables for the holidays weeks before Halloween, but if you are tasked with your firm’s holiday card list, keep reading – you’ll be glad you did.   Whether your firm sends holiday greetings electronically or mails traditional paper cards, a great deal of effort and preparation (and time) goes into the process: from choosing the format and design, ensuring people don\'t get duplicates, deciding whether to include a gift or maybe a charitable donation and getting people to sign and/and or send it, the whole time-consuming process is enough to make

Bad CRM data can compound exponentially, impacting marketing and business development. It’s essential to understand the scope of  your data problems and follow a plan for regular data cleaning.   Have you ever heard the saying, “No man ever steps into the same river twice”? Because a river’s water is constantly flowing and changing, the water you step in today will be different from yesterday. The same is true for the data in your CRM system: people are constantly changing roles, relocating, retiring; companies are opening, closing, moving and merging. On top of that, new data isn\'t always entered correctly. As a result, a database with clean, correct information today will not necessarily

A successful CRM implementation is not necessarily easy. But not everyone gets that. In fact, sometimes it seems that organizations think you can just buy a CRM system, plug it in and turn it on and clients will line up at the office door with bags of money. In fact, compared to other technology deployments, CRM implementations can require more effort because you have to get users to actually use the system (ok, I’m a glass-half-full kind of person so just let me dream). And although the ultimate goal of CRM is to make things easier, some initial work is required. In addition, failed CRM investments (and there are a LOT of

As law and other professional services firms today struggle with staffing issues due to the ‘Great Resignation’ and deal with employees working from home and/or hybrid, it’s no wonder that outsourcing has been increasing almost exponentially over the last few years. Additionally, if prior trends are an indicator, outsourcing is likely to increase significantly if we enter a recession – and with good reason: Outsourcing is a cost-effective solution that provides firms flexibility and the ability to tap into resources with experience and expertise when there are challenges finding candidates with the requisite experience, or when tight budgets prevent hiring full-time or part-time internal staff. As an additional benefit, outsourced staffing often

Lawyers are busy and often resistant to change, so getting them on board with using a new or even your existing CRM system can be challenging. But if you approach your CRM efforts as a value-added benefit that will support their marketing and business development efforts and is not difficult to use or time-consuming, you can increase CRM adoption and participation by your lawyer population at any size law firm or professional services organization. Here\'s how. Explain what\'s in it for them. Spend the time to clearly outline to users how the CRM system will directly benefit them, not just the organiztion as a whole. Put yourself in their shoes. Overcomplicated systems

The past two years have brought dramatic change to every aspect of our lives, and CRM and data quality management are two areas that have seen major shifts as well. Here Chris Fritsch explores some key trends that are reshaping CRM and data quality management for law firms - and some ideas for addressing them. 1 - Out with the old (CRM), in with the new In working together with hundreds of firms in the last 15+ years, I have never seen so many considering changing CRM systems. A lot of this is because firms are interested in moving to the cloud and because many firms have become more sophisticated about business

Before deciding on a new CRM, follow these steps to select the right CRM system that meets your requirements, enhances adoption, offers value to your users – and can provide a return on your investment. Research estimates that up to 70% of CRM systems fail to meet expectations – and a failed CRM implementation can be extremely costly, not just in terms of the financial expense, but also because of the costs in lost time – and credibility. Even more impactful: you don’t often get a second chance at CRM success. This means that it’s critical to select the right CRM system the first time. The good news is CRM success is

Are you considering a new CRM? Before deciding to purchase a new system, a better and more budget-friendly option may be to update and improve your current system and better utilize what you have. You may be familiar with “Love It or List It,” a popular HGTV show where a couple shows their current house to designer Hilary Farr and real estate agent David Visentin. Hilary redesigns parts of the home based on the desires and budget of the homeowners and oversees the renovations and construction. Meanwhile, David looks for real estate listings that meet the homeowners\' needs and budget and then tries to convince them to list their current house and buy a new

If your CRM performance is uneven or failing lately, you’ll probably find deficiencies in Communications, Training or Data Quality. Regular attention and resourcing will help.  Every organization strives to make their CRM deployment as smooth and painless as possible, but many get off to an unsteady start. Through our work with leading law and professional services firms over the years, we have found there are three key supports that must be in place to achieve real success with any new CRM implementation: Communications, Training and High-Quality Data. To visualize these, let’s use the time-tested, three-legged stool concept. A stool represents a solid platform that enables you to reach higher. Each leg is equally